Paradise -Dissidia-
by Dakk Tribal
Summary: After countless battles for chaos and order, Terra takes the chance to relax when she finds herself on a mysterious island. At her side is her former enemy, the mysterious Kuja, who seems to be harboring intimate feelings towards the maiden. All the while the two are being followed by less than friendly forces / TerraxKuja fluff, post-NT, lemon later
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: I came up with this one just recently but hey, I like this idea and I wanted to do something I never tried to do before. This pairing does have its supporters and I like to cater, so have fun!_

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Terra was immediately confused. The last thing she remembered was being engulfed in a blinding light, and then she heard the sound of water. Not just water but the sound of ocean waves.

'What in the world...?' To say she was confused was an understatement.

Opening her eyes the first thing she saw was white, and when she looked around she became even more confused.

She was in a room with white walls and matching ceiling, with elegant windows lining the wall. After sitting up and trying to gather herself she was able to get a better scope of her new surroundings. The room was very big and had smooth red carpet on the floor. The sound of the waves could be heard past a pair of glass doors that were open, the shear white curtains flowed in the breeze that also carried the distinct scent of salt water.

'How did I get here?' Terra asked and she began to move, and it was then that she saw she had been sitting on a mattress. A large, soft mattress with large feather pillows and thin red blankets. The amount of questions she had only multiplied from there as she got off the bed and stood up, feeling the plush carpet under her bare feet was rather refreshing.

Taking a few steps away from the bed Terra cautiously went towards the open glass doors and peered outside. What she saw made her mouth open in surprise. She saw water, vast amounts of it, no doubt an ocean, but also saw miles of white sand beach as well as tress of a tropical jungle with a tall mountain deeper inland. She didn't recognize this place, having fought in countless battles for the powers of order and discord she would have known where she was. Still, after taking in this kind of scenery she couldn't help but feel at peace, a time of peace after being in war for so long. She couldn't even sense any malicious intent in the air, and that made her feel relieved.

She stepped out onto the balcony was immediately met with a stronger breeze. She soaked it all in with a big breath followed by a relaxed sigh. "This feels...good..."

"Glad you think so."

Terra heard the voice and looked around, but a shadow came over her and she looked up.

Descending down from the air the young man reached the balcony after Terra backed up and gave him the necessary room.

Terra recognized the man and elegant if not flamboyant appearance. "Kuja?"

Former warrior of discord, the man known as Kuja walked along the length of the balcony, "I see you're finally awake, Miss Branford."

Terra wasn't worried about Kuja being with her. Though the last time she had seen him they had been on opposing sides of the battlefield, she knew deep down he had grown concerned for her well-being and she even considered him a friend.

"Kuja, it's good to see you," she said.

The young man smiled lightly. "As it is for you, dear, though I wish it would have been under slightly better circumstances."

Salutations aside, Terra asked a better question. "Do you know where we are, Kuja? Last thing I remember was defeating Shinryu and then nothing." She silently hoped he would provide a satisfying answer to make her feel better.

Sadly that wasn't the case. Kuja turned to her and shook his head, "I'm afraid not, sadly. I just went about this place, seeing if any of our friends or allies would be around, but my search found nothing."

He turned back towards the beach and if Terra could see she would have seen a pleased expression, "Though I will say the beauty of this place is as perplexing as it is mysterious."

Without hesitation Terra walked up and stood beside him, resting her hands on the balcony railing. "I agree. Even though I thought I would be sent home after we defeated Shinryu, I wouldn't mind a detour for a bit of peace before that."

Kuja's eyes turned towards her, and for a moment he admired the girl's idea of peace. A new stage to perform, as well as a new role entirely, suited Kuja to the fullest. At least until they found a sure fire way to return to their own worlds, that is.

Still, he thought the idea of sharing the stage with the maiden beside him as...refreshing, to say the least.

Terra turned to look at Kuja and smiled.

'She will make an exquisite partner indeed,' he thought as he returned the smile with one of his own.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to the large grandfather clock in the room Kuja knew that it was just after noon by the time he and Terra had left to explore the island.

'To be frank we would have gone out earlier had lunch been served at the proper time,' he thought, remembering the shenanigans he had to witness before he could eat.

He knew that after he had explored the island earlier to get an idea of where he was he knew it was populated only by moogles. Those little fur balls weren't a bother for him to be frank, but for Terra it had been quite a different story. The one moogle had delivered a silver serving cart with food prepared especially for them and the moment she saw it Terra went gaga over the furry creature. She refused to let it go on account of snuggling with its fur.

After that fiasco it didn't take long for Kuja and Terra to get outside.

They went down into the lobby of the hotel and into what had to be a cafe. It wasn't technically open yet but eventually the two made it to a pair of glass doors that led onto the white sand beaches they had seen from their balcony.

Stepping out onto the sand Terra could see nothing but sand and ocean water for miles. Though she had seen similar places in her travels as well as in the wars she had fought in previously, this was the first time she would be able to enjoy them peacefully.

She could hardly contain her excitement. "It's so beautiful!"

Kuja followed closely behind. He didn't quite share his partner's admiration for the environment. 'I think it is a bit to humid for my taste...but we else should I expect from a tropical paradise?' He kept his complaints to himself, being a drama queen this early in his vacation would only ruin the mood he was in. Not to mention ruin Terra's, and she seemed to be having fun at least.

Terra took off for the water, stopping just short of the edge. Seagulls flew overhead and the waves were crashing into rocks nearby. She couldn't wait to dive in.

Yet she noticed a problem.

"I don't think I'm dressed for the water..."

Her outfit was nothing short of the opposite one would wear when going for a swim and she only had this one outfit with her and she couldn't afford to get it ruined.

Luckily for her she didn't have to.

One of the moogle staff approached her, "Hello miss, want to go for a swim I take it?"

Terra nodded then glumly replied, "But I don't have suit to wear."

"That's alright, kupo. We can set you up with our unique selection to choose from, kupo," said the moogle before he summoned a wand in its right paw. The moogle spun the wand over Terra's head and sparkling dust fell upon her blond hair. Terra didn't seem to understand what was supposed to happen, and simply put neither did Kuja who was watching a few feet away. "I understand if you're confused but believe me this is faster since you want to get out and explore, kupo. Now, listen carefully: picture in your mind what you want to wear and let me know when you're done, kupo."

Terra tilted her head slightly, but she decided to roll with it. "Okay...but what would be good?"

The moogle spun in a circle, "Whatever your heart desires, kupo. Maybe it'd be something that you like or what not?"

She took a big breath and closed her eyes, concentrating hard in her mind.

Kuja watched from where he stood, 'What matter of sorcery is being deployed here?'

Without opening her eyes Terra responded, "I think I got it."

The moogle replied excitedly, "Alright! Now, moogle magic do your stuff, kupo!"

The tip of the wand flashed brightly, and when that flash of light vanished Terra's outfit had changed.

Kuja had been temporarily blinded by the light but when he noticed Terra he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Going from her red fey maiden outfit Terra was now wearing a two piece strapless swimsuit. The top was a push up design with ruffled hemlines and the bottoms were tied together on her hips. The whole suit was snug and hugged the girl's curves. However, the real eye catcher was the imprinted designs of moogles on both pieces. Little white moogles and pink pom-poms adorned the suit, and to be honest Kuja cringed a little bit.

'That suit seems more childish for a girl like Terra than I think anyone would expect,' he thought.

Terra finally opened her eyes and looked down at the suit she was now wearing.

Her response was not what one would have expected. "Huh..."

The moogle on the other hand seemed delighted. "Awesome! You look so cute Miss Terra, kupo! I especially like the moogle design, kupo!"

Kuja had to hold in a laugh.

After a quick inspection Terra agreed, "it's a bit snug...but I think it will do."

The moogle nodded, "Well, I'll best be off. Have fun, kupo!"

After the moogle had gone away Terra ran up to Kuja, who stood with his arms crossed over his chest.

She did a slow spin in front of him, "What do you think?"

Bringing a hand to his chin, Kuja respectfully inspected the new outfit of Terra. Gaudy moogle design aside, he actually thought it fit her to an extent. The top was pushing her chest up, though she was by means the bustiest woman he had ever met, and her backside was just as snug. He felt it over sexualized her body, but as she was the one who chose it he didn't want to insult her.

"If it is what you want, then I think it suits you, Miss Terra," he replied, easily hiding his other thoughts about the subject matter.

Terra liked his reply. "Thanks, Kuja." She looked back at the water, the idea of going for a swim was now entirely plausible. "I'm going to go to the water. Want to join me?"

Kuja smiled but politely refused, "I do not think so." He noticed her disappointed expression, but it made up for it with another idea entirely. "I do have something else you might be interested in, however."

Terra put her hands on her hips, "What would that be?"

"Earlier when I had gone to inspect the island I noticed a rather lavish lagoon near the center. I was planning on going there, but if you would like to join me I would not turn you away."

"A lagoon..." Terra thought about it and made up her mind quickly. "Okay, sure! Let's go."

Kuja had not into detail about what the lagoon looked like but when they flew to it Terra could understand why he called it lavishing.

It was in the center of a pit in the center of the island, with slopes all around it and a tall waterfall in the background and jungle completely surrounding it. Rocks lined the outer edges and rocks also went from one side of the lagoon to the other in a makeshift bridge. However there was one large rock in the center with a smooth flat top where the sun was shining down from above.

"Now that's interesting..." said the girl.

Kuja agreed as he walked along the edge of the pool. The waterfall, though it was meters away, was constantly creating a mist and even though he had yet to set foot in the water he was already starting to get damp. To make matters worse the air was quite cold because of the lack of sunshine. Of course he wasn't dressed for a swim unlike Terra, but he had no desire to take one either. He had other plans.

For example, his throat was feeling rather dry. "I think I will go and get some refreshments. I shall return."

Terra looked up at Kuja as he started to take off, "Be back quickly alright?"

"Fear not, milady, I will not be long," he replied truthfully.

She waved as he left, lowering her hand when he was out of sight. 'Hard to believe that just recently we were enemies. Now, he's been really polite to me...' She smiled before deciding to head into the lagoon itself.

The water was colder than she had expected and her skin was damp with the mist the waterfall created, yet Terra flew over to the large rock in the center of the pool. It was smooth and flat and most importantly warm to the touch. Most definitely that was because of the sun shining down from above. Her skin was slick and her suit damp and yet the girl laid on her back on the rock's surface and basked in the comforting rays of the sun.

'I wonder what else is in store for us here...'

She sighed loudly and closed her eyes, feeling rather comfortable and safe in this place.

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Author's Note: to be honest, coming up with Terra's swimsuit design was the hardest thing for me to come up with in this chapter, and I thought it would go against my usual habit of past swimsuit designs for characters in the Paradise series. Still, much more action to come!


	3. Chapter 3

"Curfew is in effect, Mister Mog, and all the guests are in the hotel, kupo."

The staff of the resort was finishing up their rounds, putting papers away and cleaning up the desks while making sure everything was ready for the following morning. There was even a moogle checking the weather forecast for the next seven days, making sure the weather was in optimal conditions for a tropical vacation.

Mister Mog was floating around with his entourage of smaller moogles getting updates from them. For one moogle to run a resort was indeed a daunting challenge Mog didn't show any signs of stress at the job. He had been running it for a very long time, and had yet to run into something that would drive him nuts. Save for Kupo Nuts, that is.

He checked off a request form another moogle had offered him and moved onto another pressing matter. "By the way, I heard that the rocks behind the waterfall are cracking, kupo."

The smaller moogle named Mooge nodded, "Yes sir, kupo! Seems the gradual disintegration of the water on the rocks is making it crack."

"Why hadn't I been notified of this before? This could pose a threat to our guests, kupo!"

"We only discovered it today, kupo! A few guests notified us of rocks falling in the lagoon and we inspected it later in the afternoon. We plan to block off a section of the lagoon as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of everyone, kupo. After that we will begin working to make it stable again."

Mog sighed, "Well, least we found it before it crashed. Things could be a lot worse, kupo."

The two moogles then heard squeaking that gave them the impression that something was off. The moogle behind the large computer screen was going bonkers. So much so that his pom-pom looked like it would fly off any moment, "Mister Mog! We have a problem, kupo!"

Quickly the moogles all gathered around the desk but moved out of Mog's way when he approached, "What is it, kupo?" Going through his mind was all sorts of calamitous problems that could be the problem: ships discovering the island, an eidolon emerging from within the island, or even a swarm of vegetarian bugs that could eat the island's vegetation all went through his mind. However, none of those turned out to be the problem.

The smaller moogle brought a picture of a nasty looking storm heading towards the island, "It's terrible, kupo! Tropical storm fast approaching!"

The other moogles gave signs of panic but Mog remained steadfast.

"I see...and it doesn't look like it is going to miss us either, kupo..." There had been threats of tropical storms and hurricanes in the past but by multiple strokes of luck the resort had always been spared. This time the storm seemed to be heading right for it with no sign of diverting its path. What bothered Mog however was how fast the storm had formed; it was like it had come from out of nowhere.

"How long until it gets here, kupo?"

The moogle typed away at the keyboard and kept its eyes on the computer screen, "This time tomorrow night it will be at our doorstep, kupo. We should have visuals on it by sunrise though. We'll get the full force of it when it arrives, kupo!"

Another moogle approached the desk, "What should we do sir? We might have to lock down the island and keep everyone inside-"

Mog wasn't paying attention to anyone around him. Not out of panic or nervousness, the gears in his head were turning and protocols for such an event were beginning to be made in his mind.

He knew what needed to be done. "Nobody panic. I know what to do, kupo. It will take all night but we can do it, kupo."

Following the announcement of the curfew, Kuja and Terra returned to their room. Even though all she had done was bask in the sun in the lagoon, Terra had seemed to have had a good time enjoying herself while she had done so.

Kuja hadn't returned to her for a few hours, which raised a question that she had wanted to ask him.

"Where were you while I was in the lagoon?"

The sharply dressed man's eyes peered over to his friend, "Nothing secretive. I just had to make some minor arrangements for our dinner tonight."

Approaching their door in the hotel Terra tilted her head slightly. She wore a shear white jacket over her body which was still damp from earlier. "What do you mean?"

Her response Kuja found humorous and he couldn't help but smile, he even chuckled lightly. "Better to show than tell." He opened the door for her and ushered her in. Ladies first, after all.

Terra entered the room first. First impulse for her would have been to turn on the light but she soon discovered that there was enough light already going. Turns out the table in the center of the room had three small but tall candles on it. Next to it was a small glass vase with roses, and finally the table had two sets of plates and eating utensils lined out in an elegant fashion.

Terra lost her breath for a few moments while Kuja walked up to the table. He began to explain, "Since we will be staying here for the foreseeable future, I wanted to take the liberty of making our first dinner here rather special."

Terra slowly moved up to the table, "You did all this?"

"Simplicity is fine and all for most, but I need elegance to sustain my mind." He walked up to the girl, getting within inches of her. "But, I thought you would like it as well. Do you?"

Their eyes locked with each other, and Terra was obviously the one captivated. She considered Kuja a friend, former enemy aside; she had forgiven him for his past transgressions. She didn't feel threatened or scared by him, even as he was within inches of touching her.

In fact, she felt rather flustered to be honest. To the point where she felt her cheeks heating up. The lack of light in the room helped hide this from Kuja.

'He made this for us...with me in mind,' she thought.

Terra awkwardly cleared her throat and looked away from the handsome man before her, "Yes! I do like it...thank you."

Kuja blinked slowly and smirked before backing away. "The moogles left us some night clothes to wear. I say we change before we have dinner."

Terra agreed, and she felt her legs beginning to shake, "I'll go first…"

Kuja moved aside to let her go, and Terra nearly ran into the bathroom door before going inside.

Her shower lasted long enough for her to regain her composure and to clear her head. Kuja was acting strangely benevolent to her, more so than she thought possible. A candle lit dinner on their first night on the island? Sounded like something Zidane would try to do for her, then again she knew they were related somehow so maybe they had similar traits?

She changed into the clothes the moogles had provided, and she was astonished at what it was. A white night dress with a skirt that went to the soles of her feet and had thin shoulder straps. Putting her hair back up into a tail Terra opened the door and went outside.

She saw Kuja standing near the table. After he took a good look at her he gave her a comforting smile. "You look lovely, Terra."

She felt heat go to her cheeks. "Thank you…"

He began to walk towards the bathroom door, passing Terra, and he must have noticed how she avoided looking at him. She was flustered.

He must have, because he chuckled as he went past her.

Terra exhaled when he went into the bathroom, having held her breath for a couple minutes. If tonight was any indication then the stay on the island was going to be very interesting.


	4. Dance Lesson

The humidity in the air had caused Kuja to wake up well before he normally would. Terra kept sleeping, but in order to keep her in slumber he had removed the blankets from the bed so she would be a bit cooler.

'This heat...must be a sign of a terrible storm coming,' thought Kuja as he opened the doors that led to the balcony. He had hoped to feel some slightly cooler air but he was met with utter disappointment when he felt warmer air flood into the room. Yet as much of a downer that had been his eyes saw something else that made him less than enthusiastic. A storm was in the distance, fast approaching the island and with startling speed. 'That will be here before breakfast will begin…,' Kuja guessed. Sighing he went about thinking about other things. Eventually his thoughts trailed back to the sleeping beauty on the bed. Terra Branford, warrior of the goddess of harmony, was his enemy and he should not be as friendly with her as he had been today.

At least on paper.

He had been more than hospitable and a gentleman to the girl, who was taking it all in stride and had put on quite a show with how flustered she easily got. Truth be told, the gorgeous young man had enjoyed her company. Had he not he would have otherwise left the island long ago (if that were possible).

He made his way back to the bed and kneeled next to Terra as she slept. Laying on her side, her hair loose and splayed out on the sheet and pillow like a web, the girl slept on without a worry in the world as the Angel of Death watched her. A loose strand of her hair was on her cheek and Kuja carefully moved it to the side, his movement was delicate like a butterfly. For a moment he admired her, silently wishing they had met under better circumstances.

'Such a face shouldn't have a place on the battlefield,' he thought with regret. He had remembered the first time he had met Terra, back then she had been on the side of the god of discord as well as a puppet to a madly annoying jester. Kuja knew that man's name but dared not let the name pass his lips. He felt sick just thinking about him. Anyhow, he had grown quite sick of his antics with Terra who was under a spell and thus unable to fight back.

So, filled with pity for the woman Kuja helped her break free of the spell, and it ruined the jester's plans. That last bit filled him with glee. But it was when Terra met him later, so free and happy, that he felt he had fulfilled an oath. One that made him feel...complete.

At least for a time. Now he had something lingering and wanting just below his exterior, something only his heart knew. Yet, he wasn't sure if he could admit it, even to himself.

The sound of thunder crashing awoke Terra from her slumber. The room lit up with each flash of lightning from outside and she found that even with her eyes closed she could not shut them out totally. Sleep would be next to impossible. Still she tried, rolling over to face the opposite side of the bed away from the windows. It was then she noticed that Kuja wasn't there.

'Where is he?'

She sat up in the bed, also discovering that the blankets were at the foot of the bed before she got up. It didn't take long for her to find the beautiful man standing near the balcony doors on the far side of the room. He was looking past the curtains to the outside, where the storm was raging fiercely.

Quietly Terra made her way over to him, and his eyes caught her lithe form approaching even in the darkness.

"There's something mystifying about how fierce nature can be, isn't there?"

Terra didn't know if he was speaking to her or aloud but when she looked outside she could see the island was getting pounded by the effects of the rain and wind. It made her glad that she was not out there.

"I guess so…if you can look past how scary it is…" she replied before putting her arms around herself.

The young man turned to her, "A lot of things, especially those you do not understand, are always scary at first. Then you get to understand it and as your mind comprehends it that is when you can accept it and move past your fear."

"I didn't know you were into philosophy," Terra said. There was a lot about the man she didn't know about. Maybe, she thought, that now was a good time to find out more.

And Kuja was in the mood for such a game. "I'm not, I just read a lot of books in my spare time. I did live as a rich nobleman for a time on my world, after all."

Terra could easily see him as a noble. He had the looks and graces of one, better than most she had seen in her lifetime. "Rich huh?"

"I owned a manor and had first claims at the local auction house. I had plenty of time to accumulate wealth too, but soon it got boring." He saw her expression be one of confusion. "Money can't bring happiness, or if it does then it doesn't last long. So, I tried to find other things to do in my time."

"And did you?"

He put a hand under his chin and playfully narrowed his eyes, "A certain master dancer got me into ballroom dancing and, according to him, I was a quick study."

"Ballroom dancing? I don't think I have ever heard of that…"

Hearing this made Kuja's eyes return to normal, but in his mind the gears seemed to be turning. He had an idea. "Then I will give you an example. May i?"

Not much of a request as it was an offer Kuja extended his hand to the girl, who didn't know how she should respond at first. Eventually just to see what would happen she gave her hand to him.

Kuja pulled Terra to him, their bodies met, chest to chest and it caught Terra by surprise. A result of which was her face turning a shade of red. "Kuja!"

Her discomfort was noticed but as Terra stood stock still she knew that she had been asking for this in a way so she had no one else to blame but herself. But the man merely spoke, "Calm yourself, and let me show you." He put his right hand on her lower back, keeping her close much to her discomfort while his other hand held hers up to his shoulder. Then, he started to do a minor dance with her. Not a quick one but slow swaying back and forth. Not like the elegant dances he had been forced to train to learn but it was something even a novice could do with enough work. And to his surprise Terra proved to be quite graceful as she never stepped on his feet once.

When he stopped he noticed she was red in the cheeks and her chest heaved from the intimacy of their closeness. She was in uncharted territory here. That and evidence of physical attraction between them was obvious, it was Terra who noticed it constantly, and being this close to a man she had thought until recently had been just a friend was beginning to feel like something more now….

And if Kuja sensed it he hid it expertly well. "That was good. I might have to teach you sometime."

His words did little to calm her rapidly beating heart, but still she managed to speak, "S-Sure…sometime—"

Lightning flashed brightly, and a crash of thunder that seemed to crack right over their heads made the building shake.

"AHH!" The sudden relief of the tension between them caused Terra to squeal before she hugged Kuja, placing her arms around him and placing her head upon his shoulder. Kuja didn't even flinch. Instead he laughed lightly.

Terra pushed herself away from him, and from the shadows she could see a smirk forming on his exquisite features.

"That wasn't a laugh at your expense, Terra."

Taking a slow deep breath Terra nodded, "I know, but that thunder scared me."

The silence between the two was deafening after that as neither of them knew what to say next. That ended with the chiming of the grandfather clock.

It tolled seven times, and Terra knew what that meant. "Breakfast will be starting soon."

With that in mind, Kuja went to take a seat at the table, as hunger started to form within his belly, he wondered what else was going to happen.


	5. Chapter 5

As the storm raged on the island, the moogles finished up with their duties for the day and the night. These were limited more so than usual because of the storm outside. Which meant cleaning and making sure the magical field was holding. Mr. Mog assured them it would hold and he stayed in his office to oversee the rest of the night's proceedings.

That left Mogette and Moggle alone at the front desk with nothing to do except to twiddle their pom-poms in boredom. Well, Moggle was tending to paperwork while his feminine partner tended to a flower vase she was in the process of putting up.

"We're gonna be in a pickle for a couple days at least...the guests won't be allowed to leave the building until it passes over and-" he turned from the desk and saw that Mogette was humming jovially as she managed the vase of flowers. "Would you get back to work, kupo? There's more than enough for both of us to do."

The female moogle finished putting the touches on the vase, which was full of glowing red and pink flowers. "Done, kupo."

Come to think of it, Moggle had never seen those flowers before and he had been working on the island for quite a long time. He had also been everyone on it, but it seems this pretty flora had fallen through the cracks, so to speak. "Where'd you get those?"

"Mr. Mog said they had been growing in a cave underneath the island, kupo. I wanted to see for myself and well..."

"You took a bunch without permission? What were you thinking?"

"In my defense he never said I couldn't take any, kupo. I thought the resort could be spiced up with a bit of odd beauty, so I put a vase of these flowers in each of the rooms currently being occupied."

Moggle sighed and shook his head, "All that work just for a minor face lift, kupo? You should better prioritize yourself."

Mogette ignored his diatribe. Instead she focused on what she felt was really important. "This resort needed some romantic colors, and with the couples living here, I thought it would help the mood."

That the male moogle couldn't deny. Red and pink were highly romantic colors and the fact that these flowers gave a luminescent of said colors did make sense so he couldn't fault her for that.

Still, he was curious about the flowers. Not just because of the fact that they were glowing, he could handle that part, but because they seemed to be giving off a pollen of sorts. Fine flakes that traveled like dandelion seeds in the air.

Through the innocence of the female moogle she had brought on a flower of legendary renown. Known as Cupid's Arrow, the flowers had once been used by lovers past to help show their affections. An aphrodisiac for the romantic, if you will. Through no fault of their own the moogles had unleashed this flower's power through their own building. The scent of the flowers was spread by the air conditioning system to all corners of the resort, the two moogles didn't quite contemplate that what had just happened did more than just help the mood.

In fact, it sent it far into overdrive, and the only ones who would notice were the couples staying in their private rooms.

The mood had definitely gotten...hotter, and it was just for them to enjoy.


	6. Trust

Breakfast was served and while the moogle went about its business in preparing the meal Terra had taken a quick shower. Kuja stood near the balcony doors. Though the storm itself had calmed in the last hour or so the moogles said it wasn't safe to go outside just yet. From where he stood Kuja could tell it looked depressing.

'Such melancholy in a paradise. So unwarranted,' he thought before turning to gaze at the bathroom door as it opened.

Terra stepped out, drying her locks with a towel and dressed in a new night dress. Since they couldn't go outside she didn't see a reason to change clothes. Kuja remained in his own night clothes as well.

The moogle finished its task, sighing in content and wished the two humans a good morning before taking its cart and going on its way.

Hanging the towel around her neck Terra went over to the table and sat down. Kuja made his way there as well, sitting in the chair next to her, and seeing the food before him distracted his eyes. He couldn't ignore the food, as he was hungry, and it definitely looked appetizing.

Terra didn't waste time in serving herself, but she was considerate enough to give Kuja a plate with some food on it. He took it with gratitude.

The woman's hair cascaded down her shoulders, partially damp and not totally dry. From where he sat Kuja could make out the noticeable gooseflesh on Terra's skin. The air conditioner was on in the resort and though she warmed herself with the shower the cold wall she ran into left her slightly chilled.

"You going to be alright?" asked the man.

Terra nodded sheepishly. "Yes..."

For a few moments neither of them spoke, taking in their meal with a dash of silence. Kuja occasionally saw Terra's eyes linger on him, watching him with caution and alertness. Evidence of how on edge she was came when he set his fork on his plate rather roughly she jumped and placed a hand on her chest. Kuja merely smirked.

"There's no need to be afraid of me, Terra."

Never having been able to hide her emotions without a Slave Collar Terra lowered her chin in shame. "I...sorry." Eventually she brought her eyes back up and was immediately met with Kuja's. She inhaled sharply as his eyes peered deep into hers as if examining her. Her cheeks turned red, and she wondered what would happen next. "What?"

"These moments of silence bore me," the man said, seemingly fed up with the lack of activity. He got up from his chair and walked towards the balcony doors. "But I suppose given the circumstances it'd be odd if at least one of us wasn't wary of the other." He turned back to Terra. "I know you're uneasy around me, and I apologize for that."

The woman stood up from her chair, hands held together in front of her. "Kuja...I just-this whole situation has been-"

"Chaotic?"

She shook her head, "Confounding."

"Explain."

She took a deep breath and finally let out what she had been struggling to say the last couple days. "I trust you. You saved me from Kefka, helped us fight off Shinryu, and for that I will never be able to repay you. Yet, being here alone with you, I should be able to easily talk about how grateful I am for your help. But..." She put a hand over her chest, her heart beginning to beat rapidly. She had crossed the point of no return in this situation and though she might make a fool of herself in the process Terra was determined to keep going. She cleared her throat. "I trust you, and while I seem like it, I don't fear you."

Kuja put his hands on his hips, "But you have every right to be."

"Huh?"

While he had given up the title of villain Kuja's expression became mischievous as he peered over at Terra. He walked over to her slowly, speaking as he did so. "A girl like you alone with a man like me? I know for a fact that were I anyone else; trust would be the last thing you would speak to me about. You'd be awake at night, fearful of what I would do should you lower your guard."

Try as she might Terra stepped back with every step Kuja took towards her, stopping only when her back met the wall behind her. Her eyes remained forward, unafraid as Kuja got within inches of her.

The man kept up his charade as he looked down at her. "While I am sure you are a capable fighter, I would easily overpower you and take you for myself."

Terra's lips parted slightly and her breathing was soft and ragged. The thought had crossed her mind more than once in the last couple days, giving her some terrible nightmares at night.

"Yet you didn't-"

Kuja raised his right hand, placing a finger on her lips to silence her. "Maybe I was waiting for the right moment. Like now." His hand, now joined by his other, went to Terra's shoulders, leaving butterfly touches along her skin while playing with the thin straps of her gown. It took little effort for him to push them off her shoulders and because it wasn't tight the gown fell easily. It landed in a pool at her feet. The moment Terra was exposed she gasped, her untouched maiden body was covered only with white angelic lingerie consisting of a strapless bra and white panties. Yet she remained still and her eyes remained forward. She was proving herself to be brave.

Her chest heaved with each breath and though he knew she was vulnerable Kuja looked deep into her eyes. His gaze was like that of a tiger eye to eye with its prey. "Now are you sure you can trust me?"

Disrobed and literally backed into a wall would have forced any other woman to the floor in fear. Terra remained steadfast and though she flinched from the cold she nodded. "If you had wanted me...you would have taken me by now..." She narrowed her eyes and looked him dead in the eye. "I am not afraid, Kuja. I trust you."

To her surprise Kuja smirked. "Then, Ms. Branford, you're trust in me is not misplaced." He stepped back; his acting in the last few moments had frightened even him. "Sorry about the act, but I wanted to see if how you'd react to me coming onto you."

The tension eased greatly and Terra finally felt weak in her legs when she bent down to grab her night dress. "That was all an act?"

"I am a trained actor, dear. It comes to me as naturally as breathing."

Terra put the night dress back on, feeling more comfortable now that her skin was covered once again. Though Kuja commended her as brave, she had only been able to hold herself up only barely. She had been determined to test Kuja on how much she could trust him. And after what she had gone through there was no longer any doubt in her mind.


End file.
